Mirage
by Queen-morganalefay
Summary: A strange girl with illusionary powers appears one night while the Titans were tracking a disturbance downtown...but this girl isn't what she seems, or whom she seems. R&R, please. FINISHED
1. Identity

Note: This story is the first fanfic I ever wrote, and incidentally, once I had finished my best friends, Alex and Kelly, informed me that in the original DC comics, Mirage was a screwed up chick. She apparently had black hair and blue eyes, much like Illusion in this story, and at one time made herself look like Starfire and had sex with Robin. Then, when Robin turned evil, he raped Mirage and Mirage had a very crazy child.

In response to this I have only one thing to say: that is not my Mirage. All my TT fics will be based on the show aired on WB and Cartoon Network. She looks, acts, and is nothing like her former predecessor. I consider this the REAL Mirage. Keep this in mind while you read. This character was modeled after the Mirage in my mind.

Disclaimer: Wish I did, but no. No, unfortunately, I don't own the Teen Titans.

Prelude to Blood

A girl backed slowly away from some unknown threat. Strange glittering lights radiated from her skin, and a sword, wispy at first, but the weapon growing more solid, appeared in her hands. "I'm not going back!" she shouted wildly at the dark figure approaching her.

The unknown menace's eyes began to glow an eerie red, and she gasped in horror as three more shapes took form, their eyes glowing as red as the taller demon. "But you will, Mirage. You will indeed."

The three shapes stopped not far from the girl, and the imposing man's curious gaze grew brighter, more deadly. Mirage felt confused and vague, but fought to keep her mind. Trails of crimson dripped on her arms, and her body ached from the long battle that had been fought that night. She heard herself growl quietly, hardly aware of what she said. "You know I can play your mind games, Brother."

A smirk grazed the man's lips. "I do, but can they?"

To weak to fight back, Mirage watched as Jinx stepped into the dim light, her hand beginning to glow as she conjured. A spectrum of violet light filled her vision, pain storming through her body as she was slammed against the wall. The graceful, merciful blackness followed closely...

Chapter One-Identity

Robin landed cat-like in the alley where the disturbance had been reported, the rest of the team not far behind. Dim shadows moved up ahead, but nothing definite could be seen. He crept closer and witnessed the glimmer of strange lights, and the mummer of voices. Cyborg appeared to his left, grave expression craved upon his face.

"Anything?" he asked in a low tone as Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy fell into position. Robins shook his head, bemused.

"Not yet. There are sounds coming from--"

But he was cut off by a figure flying through the air and into a stone wall; Jinx followed close behind, her eyes holding a strange glow.

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted commandingly as everyone sprang into action, Raven in the lead, having never quite forgiven Jinx for coming into her room un-invited.

Te hooded half-demon chanted slowly, her eyes freakish in the dim light. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" She shouted the last word, flinging a wave of dark telekinetic energy at her opponent, who sprang nimbly to the side and disappeared around a corner. A green cheetah sprang after her, Cyborg going to look for other villains that may have met there.

Starfire flew to a higher altitude and noticed the last retreating shadows of someone unknown. A star bolt clung to her hand in hesitation. She turned to Robin.

"Perhaps they merely came to 'hang-out'?" She glided and stood beside Robin, who examined a bleeding, unconscious girl suck in an unnatural position next to some trash cans.

"I don't think so, Starfire."

The Tameranian's eyes grew wide. "She has been savaged by the wild Glorfex!"

Robin looked back quizzically. "I'm pretty sure we don't have any Glorfexes on Earth. Just criminals."

Beast Boy and Cyborg returned, fruitless in their search. They neared Starfire and Robin, craning their necks to look at the girl. Beast Boy's mouth dropped as he backed away slightly.

"What is she?"

The girl had skin white as fallen snow that seemed to glimmer in the half light. Dark clothes accentuated this fact, along with a black trench coat that lay in folds about her. Long, mid-back in length silver hair fell down her clothing, almost as radiant as the girl's skin. Strangest of all, an almost fog like haze surrounded the girl.

Raven sighed and raised an eyebrow at the freaked green boy.

"Yeah...she's unusual. Green is such a natural color."

Robin gave a puzzled frown. "Whoever she is, she can't stay here. We'll have to take her back to the Tower."

Beast Boy waved his arms wildly as Cyborg picked her up and group began to walk away.

"Wait! We can't take her back! She's probably some mutant zombie come to eat our brains. If we get eaten, it is so not my fault. Hey...dudes, wait up! What if there're other zombie chicks around?"


	2. Illusionist

Chapter Two-Illusionist

Robin paced silently in his room, watching the sword he had slipped into the folds of his cape slowly fade away, glittering in an unreal manner. His finger throbbed where the blade had cut when he had first examined it, but now his hand passed through it, as if it had never existed.

He whirled around defensively as the door opened, Cyborg entering, not at all surprised by Robin's strange mannerisms while in deep thought.

"She's comin' to."

Robin lowered his arms and returned to an eased stance, a light frown playing across his forehead. His tone was monotonous, all business.

"Has she said anything?"

"Naw. Jus' woke up. I searched for weapons, but my scanners got nothin'."

Robin thought grimly of the fading sword, an enigma. What had they come upon?

Raven levitated slightly above the floor, keeping half a mind on the sleeping guest lying sprawled across the coach. She couldn't help but be reminded of another visitor from not long ago that had shared the same coach. One with long blond hair that had stolen the heart of one of their members. A girl that had powers too deadly...and had made mistakes too deadly...to be forgiven easily or quickly. Raven would not forget those things, if ever that girl came back.

Raven half opened one of her eyes as Starfire came in joyfully, holding some her strange cooking.

"I have made the Bread of Welcoming! It will bring the harmony and peace of feelings between us and our guest!"

"Umm...looks appetizing..." Raven lied uncertainly, never having actually eaten Starfire's food. So far she had avoided the misfortune.

Mirage opened her eyes tiredly and heard two people conversing. The ceiling was strange, unlike her bland quarters back at the H.I.V.E. Sitting up, she noticed two girls staring at her, one holding a strange dish, and the other floating in mid-air.

"Um...hi."

"Hi," A door behind her opened and closed, and three boys came in. The lead she recognized as Robin, head of the Teen Titans. 'Great', she thought to herself. 'the "good guys". So what have I done now?'

"I'm..." Robin began, but was quickly cut off as Mirage stood. Not, of course, by the fact that she began to speak was he cut off, but by her eyes. They were deep violet when she first stood, but as she began to speak they went from crimson red to emerald green, from crystal blue to clouded white.

"...Robin. I know, as well as Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire. I am Mirage." Her tone was somewhat suspicious and cold, as if she wasn't used to being greeted courteously.

Robin and Cyborg exchanged surprised looks. The girl had looked fragile enough unconscious, and yet she had cuts in a half dozen places, and she wasn't even flinching, not to mention she spoke without a hint of fear. There was the slightest hint of a pause before Starfire spoke pleadingly.

"Please, friend, you required medical attention. You were bleeding quite horribly..." Starfire trailed off as she saw Mirage's expression soften.

"It's alright. It's nothing more than a few scratches." Mirage turned back to Cyborg and Robin, her gaze lingering on Beast Boy. "I suppose you want to know how I got those cuts."

Robin nodded, but Beast Boy just looked at her, wide-eyed. This girl was freaking him out. Her eyes were now a bright gold, like that of an eagle.

Raven, who had picked up her poetry book in half boredom, looked up at Beast Boy. "Is something wrong?"

Beast Boy shook his head, but Mirage smiled as if suddenly remembering something. Without warning, her white skin gained color, her hair became black and her eyes a light blue. "Sorry if my appearance disturbed you. May I have a seat?"

Raven gave a "go-ahead" look, and the group settled in for the girl's tale.


	3. History

Chapter Three-History

The silver haired girl gazed out the window, looking toward the ocean, apparently taking no notice of anyone as she spoke in a low, serious tone, her eyes the only spark for telling her emotions.

"I grew up in the H.I.V.E., where my powers developed slowly. I supposed they still develop to a degree. I have illusionary powers, and can make my illusions temporarily real if I choose to do so, even permanently real, but that takes more energy and time that I can normally allow.

"As I grew older my powers grew stronger than the others and almost too strong for myself. I could alter other's memories, and them to believe themselves to be in places they weren't. Despite my formidable reputation in magical combat, I was defeated in a private battle between myself and another student. Word never got our, but from that day forth Brother Blood trained me rigorously in physical combat.

"Soon, I was invincible to any within the Academy. I was Blood's protégé. Last night, things went wrong...or more wrong than they normally are, at least. He asked me to flank him as second in command, my final test to be stealing a priceless and deadly artifact. I declined, knowing the potential the item held."

At this point in Mirage's retelling, Robin held a gloved hand up to stop her.

"What was the artifact?"

A haunted look sprang into Mirage's eyes as she caught his gaze. "It is a ring that looks no different from any other piece of jewelry...an emerald stone and gold band. But an ancient magic that the druids captured inside the jewel gives the wearer power to enhance his or her own. In my case, the ring would allow me to control reality completely, and to bend to my will the memory of all. In Brother Blood's case...free will would not exist...his power would know no limits. According to him, I was to steal and take possession of the ring, but I knew this would not last long. Sooner or later, by one hand or one life, he would take the Emerald.

"Brother Blood attempted to force me to assist him, mainly by his brain washing skills. I have never felt such fury and power as I did when he used all his skills as he did that day, or days, as it were. I don't like people trying to control my mind any more than anyone else would, so I left quickly, when I could break away from him. His quest in controlling me has exceeding far beyond recently. The pursuit was heavy...I am surprised you did not receive a distress signal faster than you did. They wore me down to the point of recapture, and that is where I lost consciousness."


	4. Unsure

Note: Something that I forgot to mention earlier...this episode is post-Haunted in the series time, so it is after the "death" of Slade and Terra. Anyways, carrying on...

Chapter Four-Unsure

The rest of the team watched as Mirage finished with a heavy silence and then stood up absentmindedly.

"I need some air." She ran long, tanned fingers through her ebony hair, not meeting the eyes of any there before crossing the room to where a passageway led to a ladder that ascended to the roof. Obviously the H.I.V.E. had studied blueprints to Titans Tower. Climbing up the ladder, Mirage ascended through the trap door and disappeared.

Robin watched her for a few minutes, and then turned to the rest of the team. "Does anyone else feel she's leaving out a few key parts?"

Starfire gasped. "You think her intentions are malicious?"

"I think she's hiding something."

"Most people do," Raven said darkly from her corner of the room.

Beast Boy, unnaturally silent, just frowned in brooding. Cyborg was the one who spoke up first.

"How do we know she's telling the truth?"

Robin's frown deepened. "We don't."

Mirage stood on the roof of Titans Tower, her normal appearance visible again. Though she looked out at the waters surrounding the Tower, she didn't see anything. She certainly didn't see the green rat watching her from the shadows.

"Of all the forms I could have chosen, I chose her..." she muttered to herself heavily. Suddenly she winced as a terrible pain seized her mind, and a dark mist surrounded her forebodingly. Her silver locks turned to black, her ever changing eyes to icy blue, and her pale skin gained a normal glow. As she straightened again, she smirked. Mirage wasn't in control anymore. But Illusion was.

Illusion's cold eyes scanned for signs of life, but like her other half, missed the watching rodent. Reaching into her blue jean pocket she pulled out a communicator and turned it on. The face of Brother Blood flickered into view.

"Illusion! I trust all went? You are in control?"

"For the moment. The fool used my form to put the green one at ease. They will believe me as Mirage."

"Excellent...do not forget. We need the Titans defeated. And we need Mirage kept in check, as well." Brother Blood put emphasis on the last sentence. The rat's beady eyes narrowed.

But just as suddenly as the pain came for Mirage, so it came for Illusion. She bent her head and clasped her hand to her black hair in agony. The casual clothes melted into black, a trench coat took the place of a denim jacket, and silver hair framed a pale face with startling eyes. Mirage looked at the communicator in her hand with unconcealed disgust. Her eyes flashing a dark gray, she snarled at the communicator, and more so at the man on the screen.

"Leave—me—alone," she said in a dangerous tone. "Do not come near me. Do not come near the Titans. And tell that witch of yours to back off."

"The man on the screen smirked. "I've got a better idea, Mirage. Instead of me telling her, why don't you tell her yourself? It will only be a quick look in the mirror..."

Mirage snapped the device off and threw it off the side of the building, watching it smash against the rocks on the shore. Walking back toward the trap-door, she descended again angrily.

And from the shadows emerged a shocked green boy.


	5. Truth

Note: Yes, it's been a while, hasn't it? Been a loooonnnngggg time since my last update, but here I am, back with more and more yet to come. There will be…yes, there will be.

Chapter Five-Truth

Mirage stormed through the lower levels, shaking with suppressed rage. She went toward some distant sounds, listening to the echoes of her footsteps and the echoes in her mind.

"It's just a look in the mirror…."

A light came from an open door down the hallway. The sounds were growing louder as she neared it. Robin came into sight, practicing martial arts on a battered punching bag. Mirage stood in the doorway and watched him pound the bag furiously.

"Mind if I join you?"

Robin stopped and regarded her. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Something like that." Without another word she went toward one of the punching bags and imagined it was Illusion. The she began to beat her other self ruthlessly.

The only thing she forgot is want she imagined others saw too. Robin stood puzzled as he watched the silver haired girl pound the image she had cast over herself before.

Raven found that she was unable to sleep. She sat in the living room, meditating, trying to sort out every aspect of the night's strange events.

Thundering footsteps rang down the corridor. Beast Boy came into the room, looking shocked.

"Raven!" he gasped, speaking way too fast. "It was, like, the craziest thing I've ever seen. Mirage was all, like, not Mirage. Dude, she was the black-haired chick. And then she was, like, talking to Brother Blood and, dude, he was all 'You are in control?' and the black-haired chick was all 'Yeah.' Then Mirage came back from wherever and she was like 'Leave me alone!' And then he started going on about a mirror…."

Raven just stared at him for a few minutes. "Calm down. You've had a nightmare."

Beast Boy frowned and waved his hands in exasperation. "I'm not playing around! She's like, two people! The black-haired girl is evil, and Mirage isn't strong enough to fight her!"

Raven closed her eyes again, as if to go back into meditation, but thought better of it when she saw Beast Boy's glowering expression.

"I know you're upset about Terra. But the probability of a person having two totally separate identities that war against one another is very unlikely. It's very possible it was just a bad dream."

His eyes darkened with anger as he spoke through gritted teeth. "This has nothing to do with Terra."

Raven watched him as he walked away furiously. She sighed and tried to focus on her meditation again, but to no avail. She knew that somehow, Beast Boy might be right. There had been so many instances after Terra's petrifaction, though, where he had had outbursts, been like this. The arrival of a new girl…there was the possibility it had set their green friend over the edge…

"Azarath….Metrion…Zinthos…" It would take some deep searching before she could distinguish truth from fiction…before she could see through the illusions.


	6. Confrontation

Chapter Six-Confrontation

Beast Boy looked around his trashed room, at the one area where it was somewhat clean. On a cleared space on an end table a comb lay, detailed with a simple butterfly. It was a symbol. A symbol of a free spirit now trapped. It was Terra's symbol. And it was one of the few things of her he had left.

Terra had left it at the Tower. She never had a chance to retrieve it after the Titans found out she had been working for Slade…after they found out she had betrayed them all. Now Slade was dead…and Terra petrified. All the things Beast Boy wished he had said would fall on deaf ears, and all the things he wished he hadn't said would remain within her.

It was going to be an uneasy night for sleep.

All slept uneasily that night, if they slept at all.

None slept so uneasily as Mirage. She had fallen into a semi-unconscious state while pounding the punching bag she had masked as Illusion. Exhaustion had overtaken her at last, so Robin made sure she was put back on the couch in the living room. He sat listening to her as she talked in her sleep, gripped in a private battle with Illusion.

"No…leave me alone….I won't go back. I won't! You can't make me…you're not a part of me anymore…"

When Mirage woke Robin wasn't there, however. Then the pain began to set in again, watched by a different set of eyes. The masked eyes in the shadows of the ceiling narrowed as the transformation were completed. It was Illusion who entered the adjoining kitchen now.

Robin dropped to the floor and walked into the kitchen, noticing that neither Raven nor Starfire were awake, and they normally woke first. Illusion was looking through the food, and pulled out some stale cereal with concealed disgust. She looked up and smiled in a sickly-sweet way…totally unlike the Mirage of the night before.

"Morning!" the black haired girl declared cheerily.

Robin only nodded curtly.

"Some workout last night. You were trained well." Robin glanced out of the corner of his eye to observe a puzzled expression on the girl's face as he spoke. She answered hesitatingly. Robin grimly confirmed as she answered that she did not at all remember the event from the night before, when they had been together in the gym.

"Yes…you're not bad yourself."

At that moment the rest of the team entered. Robin noticed that Beast Boy's jaw slacked as he saw their guest, followed by a soft mutter.

"Dude…" Beast Boy trailed off and then busied himself with the occupation of finding the tofu, which he knew was across the room. Nobody else seemed to notice.

"What a glorious day! We must celebrate by the gorging of the pizza and the hanging out of the mall!" Starfire beamed happily as the sun cast a few lazy rays over the horizon.

"Jus' as long as BB doesn't make us eat that tofu stuff again." Cyborg called where he was watching TV.

Beast Boy turned around indignantly. "Dude, tofu pepperoni is so better than the junk you eat."

"I shall bring the mustard!" Starfire exclaimed joyfully, turning to get ready, but then noticed Illusion rubbing one of her temples silently. "Mirage, do you hold the aching of the head?"

"Yeah. It's just a little headache."

Robin's eyes narrowed as he watched Illusion.

Illusion wandered through the empty rooms. The rest of the Titans had left. She had asked to stay behind, saying that her headache was too great to keep going. Mirage had done something with the communicator, but Illusion didn't know what.

A metal door was near the end of the hallway, labeled "Cyborg". She smirked as she entered, and looked around. There was a metal table where Cyborg slept, a recharging cable attached to a plug in the wall. Illusion concentrated on bringing up the image of tools and solidifying them. She began to cut the wires inside the cord carefully, but just as she was about to make it look like she had never been there, the tools began to flicker out of view. Illusion could see a silver-haired girl glaring at her from a mirror in the room.

"Behave yourself, Mirage," she sneered.

"You're one to talk," the hollow voice from the mirror said coldly, glaring at Illusion.

Illusion left the room satisfied with her job. One Titan sabotaged, four more to go.


	7. Thief

Chapter Seven-Thief

"But what did Brother Blood want her to steal?" Robin murmured while frowning at his slice of pizza.

"Who knows? Could've been anything." Cyborg choked down his pizza before stopping to look over Robin's shoulder.

"But what it is none of your business, is it?" Jinx moved forward, flanked by Gizmo and Mammoth.

All of the Titans rose slightly. "What do you want?" Robin said demandingly.

"You crud-munchers have a member of ours." Gizmo sneered as they started to approach. Jinx raised her hand, about to attack.

"Titans, go!"

"Attack pattern Beta!"

Raven created a shield against the purplish-pink hex as Beast Boy rammed Jinx from behind in the shape of a bull. Cyborg was fighting Gizmo, who had activated his device that released four metallic legs, giving him an appearance like a spider. Robin and Starfire took on Mammoth, who was working on destroying someone's car.

Cyborg grabbed the front two metallic legs and threw Gizmo off balance, only to be knocked off his feet by Jinx. Starfire shot starbolts furiously, causing the tall villain and Jinx to retreat. Gizmo almost got away, but Raven rose before him out of the ground while Robin pinned him to the wall.

"What do you know about Mirage?"

"Nothing you goozling, blinking, snot-chewing, blood-guzzlers." Gizmo struggled against Robin, still spouting made-up insults and quite a few curses. Robin drew his face closer to Gizmo's in a threatening manner.

"Talk." He growled, slamming Gizmo against the wall harder.

"Alright, mucus cruncher. She was head student at the H.I.V.E., but the she quit last night. Damn good thief, too."

"What did Brother Brood want her to steal?"

"Probably the emerald, brain-eater. But that's all I know. Stupid dripping, bloody, razzing, frazzle-ridden…"

Robin dropped him and watched Gizmo storm off, still muttering to himself. Beast Boy gave a laugh behind him.

"'Frazzle-ridden'?" He said through his laughs. The rest of the team just glared at him.

Illusion dropped from the ceiling into the museum, masking herself so that the security guards would not see her. The cameras would pick her up, however. She moved out of range of them, glad that the night offered some protection. She reached up and unplugged the firs camera, then moved to the next. Her job finally done, she moved to the glass centerpiece in the middle of the room. Inside lay one emerald ring. She smirked as she pressed her hand to the glass, felling it disappear beneath her fingers. Reaching inside, she fingered the emerald.

Pain began to shoot through her body and mind as Mirage fought back. Finally taking over, Mirage looked at the ring in her hand in horror. She put the emerald back and saw the glass beginning to appear again, and then ran toward the rope hanging from a broken pane of glass in the ceiling. Climbing it hurriedly, she stopped as a figure reached his hand in to help her up. Robin's serious face examined hers.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was…I was looking around."

"At night? After hours?" Robin's face was set. "I know."

Mirage brushed herself off. "You know what?"

"About her. Beast Boy saw her talking to Brother Blood. He told Raven. Raven told me. You were acting very strange last night."

Mirage gave him a startled look. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You can't fight her along. Let us help you."

"I don't need any help!" Mirage broke into a cold sweat and ran, climbing quickly down the fire escape, and running to the Titans Tower, because she had nowhere else to go.


	8. Short Cicuited

Chapter Eight-Short Circuited

Cyborg went into his room, drained of energy. He laid down, plugging himself in to recharge, when suddenly every fiber and circuit of his being felt like it had caught fire. Cyborg let out an anguished scream that resonated throughout the tower. The blackness took him quickly.

* * *

Raven started when she heard the scream, dropping her book and gliding toward Cyborg's room. She was met by Starfire and Beast Boy.

"Dude, did you…?"

"I heard it."

Raven used her dark energy to move the door, then gasped at what she saw.

Sparks flew around his body, and the recharging cord attached to him shot the most sparks. Raven immediately severed it, and the three Titans moved closer, Raven in the lead.

"Cyborg…dude?" Beast Boy said attentively.

Raven bent down and examined him. "He's unconscious."

"Well, duh." Illusion stood in the doorway, having taken control again while Mirage panicked after the conversation with Robin. She leaned casually against the entrance to Cyborg's room.

"I made sure he would be. It wasn't that hard. You Titans are so dense."

Starfire gasped in shock. "Friend Mirage, how could you do this surely horrible and…"

"It's not Mirage," Raven growled.

Illusion smirked. "Robin told me—or should I say Mirage—that you had found me out." Her eyes lingered n Beast Boy. "It's too bad that you had to first meet my weaker side. She won't be a problem for long."

"She's not the problem."

Robin stood behind her, body tense in case Illusion decided to strike. He noticed a lengthening patch of shimmering air forming around Illusion's hand, becoming the same sword Robin had seen before. She turned quickly as Robin blocked her blow with his bo staff/

"What does the emerald do?"

"I'll be able to control Mirage, control our powers…and control the minds of others."

Suddenly Robin found fog rolling in around Illusion, and then she was gone.

"Dude, what happened?" Beast Boy demanded.

"She used her powers to place herself elsewhere. If she concentrates on making reality false long enough, she does so."

Beast Boy's eyes bugged out. "You mean she was here but now she's there because she thought she wasn't here? Dude, my brain cannot work that fast!"

Rabin paced. "We need a plan."

* * *

"Ok," Beast Boy started drawing furiously on a black board. "…Mirage is obviously the victim of a plot by, like, super advanced aliens to turn everyone into double-minded robots. The only other theory is that, like, she's been brainwashed by the vampire Queen, who wants us as her evil minions!"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Can we talk logically?"

"Dude, that is logical!"

Robin shot a long glance at Beast Boy, who sat down at length.

"Beast Boy said that when Illusion took over, it was like she was a totally different person."

"Maybe she is." Raven said slowly.

"But what does this have to do with Brother Blood?"

At that moment, the screen began to blink with the location of Illusion. Robin moved to the screen. He spoke half to himself, half to the rest of the team. "We need to get Illusion cornered. Mirage is inside her somewhere. We need to get her to listen."

Raven nodded silently and Beast Boy assumed the same expression. They knew they were the ones who would have to act.


	9. Private Battle

Chapter Nine-Private Battle

Beast Boy moved through the museum as a wolf, keeping his nocturnal eyes focused for any sign of movement. He heard whispers down the hall, and noticed Illusion speaking to an antique mirror, holding a conversation with the reflection which did not mirror the girl's black hair and piercing blue eyes, but instead showed silver locks and changing orbs.

"You will help me…it will only hurt for a few minutes. You know I have no option but to subdue you."

Illusion replaced the mirror and moved forward, only to find a dark shape, like that of a bird, blocking her path. Suddenly she saw a jet of green light hit her in the side, slamming her into the museum wall. A bo staff was placed up against her, trapping her against the wall. Illusion glared at Robin.

"Why do you need to get rid of her?"

Illusion looked Robin in the eye, her blue eyes glittering strangely. "The same reason you want to get rid of Slade. But you're not sure he's gone, are you?"

His frown deepened as he saw Slade rise from the wall and easily knock aside his bo staff. Robin jumped in the air, about to catch Slade in the chest, but Slade caught his foot, slinging him to the floor. Next thing he knew Raven was standing over him and Beast Boy was running after Illusion.

"Focus. She's just playing with your mind."

"I know," Robin stood, brushing himself off. "I won't happen again."

Starfire glided forward. "Umm…Robin? I believe our team is about to be 'ambushed'."

A door behind them slammed and Brother Blood, Jinx, and Mammoth entered.

* * *

Beast Boy ran nimbly after Illusion, only to find her against the wall, clutching her head and moaning softly. First she was Mirage, then Illusion, Mirage, Illusion. The pain was excruciating, filling every particle of her and making her want to tear her throat out from screaming, but no sound could come out. Beast Boy reverted to human form and moved forward just as Mirage came back into focus, lingering longer than before.

"Dude, you've got to fight it!"

"I—can't!" gasped Mirage, tears streaming down her face. "Illusion's too strong!"

Beast Boy knelt beside her. "You're, like, just as strong! Fight back!"

She was starting to change again, and Beast Boy looked behind him to see a reflection of a very worn, but haughty Illusion. Suddenly he had an idea.

"How is she hurting you?"  
"Things I've done…horrible…murder…thefts…"

"Make her think of what's she's done. Like, turn the tables."

She groaned and concentrated, shaking horribly. Reaching out, Mirage grasped Beast Boy wrist.

The door slammed open with considerable force. Brother Blood moved forward, smirking as he saw Mirage.

"Ready to go home, daughter?"

She stood, still shaking, using Beast Boy as support to stand, grimacing in pain. In the other room Robin, Starfire, and Raven held off Jinx and Mammoth. Straightening slightly as she stood, her eyes glowed silver as she spoke.

"That is my home no longer!" Raising her hand, she surrounded him with illusionary fog as his eyes flickered red while he tried to suppress the pain. Mirage was hitting him with the memories of what he had tortured himself with. He had a good daughter, a righteous daughter. Mirage moved forward as her strength grew.

"I never wanted to be in the H.I.V.E. I never wanted to be your daughter. You set Illusion loose. You made her my problem. You are the root of the problem. And I never want to see you again."

She materialized her silver sword, but made it to wound the mind this time. Then she struck. And as she felt his pain, the pain Illusion caused began to set in again.

* * *

Jinx and Mammoth lay unconscious from the barrage the three Titans had unleashed upon them. Robin moved toward the other room, where both Mirage and Brother Blood lay in agony. Beast Boy held an antique mirror that showed Illusion ridden by unmentionable pain as well. Robin nodded as he took the mirror, and without another thought, broke it.

Immediately Mirage stopped moving. She was out cold.


	10. New Member

Chapter Ten-New Member

Mirage blinked slowly, once again staring at a strange ceiling. Beast Boy was sitting beside her, asleep. Robin walked around the corner and shook his head.

"I told him to get some rest."

"Where am I?"

Robin gave a half-smile. "Titan's Tower, the medical floor. We rarely use it."

Mirage sat up slowly, feeling her head spin slightly. "How long have I been down here? Where's Raven and Starfire? Where's Cyborg?"

"Three days. Illusion messed with Cyborg's technology, so Raven is staying with him. His system is starting to reboot. Starfire is getting some rest."

Mirage felt the memory flooding in of that night. She remembered swinging the sword down on her father.

"What happened to my…to Brother Blood?"

Robin's friendly smile slipped off his face as his expression grew both concerned and brooding.

"He's in a prison for the criminally insane. Your sword really did the trick."

Robin laid the broken mirror on the bed at Mirage's feet, and then left her alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Reboot Complete

Cyborg opened his eyes blearily to see Raven watching him with an almost anxious, maternal expression. But just as he thought he saw it, it disappeared into Raven's normal emotionless face.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah…I short-circuited; what happened?"

"It's complicated…" Raven answered slowly while beginning to relay the entire tale. Even though Raven normally didn't speak so much, or enjoy speaking, she couldn't think of ten minutes better spent.

And neither could Cyborg.

* * *

The night air was chilled as Mirage looked out at the shore from the rooftops. Turning to find the source of the slight scuffling behind her, she saw Beast Boy was approaching hesitatingly. He gave a small smile.

"Dude, do you ever sleep?"

"Sometimes," she answered calmly. "Your not afraid I'll go psycho?"

Beast Boy's ears lowered, a sure sign of concern and worry. "The mirror's, like, broken. She can't come back anymore."

"You sure about that? Do you trust me?"

Beast Boy cast her a strange look as the last question came, but was cut off as the buckle began to blink, as it only did when Robin needed the team for something urgent.

"Let's go."

* * *

"My defense chip is missing," Cyborg exclaimed while checking his system for damage.

Raven looked up from her book. "I found it next to you after the accident. It's in my room." She placed a marker between the pages and started toward the door, noticing that Cyborg was following.

They went up a level and down the hall, turning when they reached Raven's room. She entered automatically, but Cyborg stood in the door awkwardly. Finally Raven spoke up, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen while she went through her things.

"I've misplaced it. Help me look."

Cyborg stepped in and slowly closed the door, looking around the dark room passively. He gazed past the crammed bookshelf, to the rounded bed, and on to a slightly twisted looking night-stand. Raven looked there as well, both of them starting toward it, seeing the chip, and both speaking at once.

"Found it." Raven's hand landed on Cyborg's as they both reached for it. She felt her cheeks redden as she looked at Cyborg, trying to think of something to say. He was looking at her strangely. He leaned closer, way too close for just a friend. Raven felt her eyes close impulsively, aware of just how close he was, trying to remain calm, her heart screaming that none were to get near her, but somehow he seemed okay. He heart was pounding horribly and just as she felt his lips brush hers the sphere on her cloak began to shake, indicating it was blinking. She felt Cyborg withdraw and opened her eyes, both of them withdrawing their hands from the nightstand.

Cyborg was wearing a cautious expression as he replaced the chip, both of them leaving the room to see what Robin wanted.

* * *

Starfire rushed into the living room, seeing Beast Boy and Mirage looking anxious, and Raven and Cyborg in the opposite direction, avoiding each other's gazes. Robin stood in the middle of the room tensely.

"What happened?" Cyborg said.

"Yes, Robin, what is wrong?" Starfire glided toward him.

"Dude, if it's the H.I.V.E. again…"

Robin smirked. "Easy, guys. I just wanted to get all of us in the same room." He gave a meaningful glance to the rest of the team, and suddenly Starfire let out a squeal of delight. She glided to Mirage and hugged her fiercely. Mirage choked out her words.

"Starfire…my lungs…they're flat now…"

Starfire let go and Mirage massaged her arms as she looked at Robin. "What was that all about?"

Beast Boy grinned. "Dude, you're staying here!"

Robin nodded. "You're a Titan now." He held out a silver necklace with a silver orb in the center that would flash red when activated, and a yellow communicator with a 'T' in the center. Smiling slightly for the first time in ages, she took the necklace and communicator and put it on. Raven nodded her approval.

Something was tugging at the back of Mirage's mind. "What about Illusion?"

Robin grew serious. "You're nothing like her. She's just a criminal. If ever she comes back, you won't go down with her."


	11. Escape

Chapter Eleven-Escape

Brother Blood sat in a solid white room, humming under his breath. A man in a white coat came in, holding a small, plastic cup, pills alternating in size rolling around in size. The man sitting on the floor eyed them apprehensively, warily moving closer to the wall as the asylum worker approached.

"Time to take your meds…"

An annoyed look crossed Brother Blood's face. Where was he? Who was he? His eyes grew red. Why should he have to follow the orders of one such as the worker who stood before him? He remembered power. He remembered hatred. He remembered vengeance, and he would experience them again. None could stand in his way. The young man's eyes turned the same blood-shot color, his expression becoming impatient and haughty, mirroring Brother Blood's. Brother Blood would not take the medicine. He would not be confined. "I don't want to."

The man's voice was robotic, commanded. "Of course."

"Release me."

"Sure."

Thirty minutes passed, controlling each that barricaded his way, being liberated from his prison, slowly putting together the pieces of his broken mind. A limousine pulled up, mirror-like windows glinting, and a cloaked woman exited the driver's side, her face shadowed and hard to define.

"Ready to leave, Brother?"

Half of his memory returned to him. He was a mastermind, the leader of a group of villains. Something happened with a young girl…his daughter…the Titans.

Blood climbed into the limo, and the woman took the driver's seat, waiting instruction, her voice revealing she was used to commands and needed them to function. "The H.I.V.E.?"

"Yes." He frowned, trying to remember what the Titans had done…destroying two of his institutes, forcing him to find an abandoned building in which to board his remaining students and faculty…

"Where are the Titans?"

"Hiding," the woman said automatically, as if she had rehearsed the answer for that exact moment.

"Of course." A slow smirk spread across his face as he noticed a strange, broken mirror lying in the seat…the duplicate…the way of communicating with Illusion's mind…his true daughter was still alive, stuck in some nether-verse, capable of being rescued.

Murder would do his daughter justice. Slowly the magic of the mirror would be repaired, and she would no longer be confined to the mirror and Mirage's body. She would be free, be real, and ready to be by his side, ready to help his rule over the city, over the world. She was his true daughter, and she would be rescued.

And then the Titans would die.

* * *

Well, I'm done with this fic! It was my first fic, so I hope it doesn't suck too much. Give me at least credit that I wrote the whole of this back in October and have been too lazy to put the whole of it up until now. I hope you enjoyed it. It's the first of many in my own personal series that contains characters modeled after Teen Titans Junkie and StarStar16. 


End file.
